Gwen's Law gets thumbs up from Senate committee

4:12 PM,
May 13, 2014

Theresa Cox Donald talks with reporters after a Senate committee approved legislation named for her sister, Gwen Cox, who was killed May 2 by her estranged husband soon after he posted bail for threatening to kill her and holding her prisoner. At right is Rep. Roy Burrell, D-Shreveport, author of legislative aimed at requiring a ?cooling-off? period before domestic violence perpetrators are released on bail.

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Theresa Donald today told members of a Senate Judiciary Committee her sister, Gwen Cox Salley, did everything she was supposed to do to protect herself from her estranged husband, Michael Salley. But it wasn't enough and she died at his hands on May 2.

Donald asked the committee to give a voice to her sister and other victims of domestic violence by approving legislation that will become known as "Gwen's Law." HB 1142, led by state Rep. Roy Burrell and co-authored by other northwest Louisiana legislators, received unanimous approval of the committee and heads next week to the full Senate for ...